Reloading EverythingRepackboxInline FabricationLoad Data
Titan ReloadingRotoMetals2WidenersLee Precision
MidSouth Shooters Supply
Results 1 to 20 of 20

Thread: Breech lock pro first impressions and on going thoughts

  1. #1
    Boolit Buddy TaylorS's Avatar
    Join Date
    May 2014
    Posts
    320

    Breech lock pro first impressions and on going thoughts

    So yea! My box came along with most of the stuff I wanted to make this progressive reloading a breeze.

    Mid south made it very shined with the foil looking Christmas paper but everything is there.
    And all these small parts


    So first problem I ran into was mounting it straight to the bench wasn’t gonna work the front hole is to close to the edge to get a good grip so I pulled my Lee o press out and stuck one bolt in the back so I could tinker.

    Of course I was to giddy to bother with pictures til I had done set everything up.

    2 things I don’t like.

    1. The locking bushings don’t have a index point on the press so when I go to spin my dies out out comes the bushing. Going to make it slower to change calibers.

    2. These new lock ring eliminators need eliminated. I went to tighten the set screw after adjusting the die had to pull the bushing and gave my self a hernia trying to get that 1/4 turn out of the set screw. After jacking around with things I said screw it and pulled that bushing out and took the one off my single stage(which btw has a button to index the bushings in place)



    All in all it’s pretty stout and smooth a couple things i learned would be:

    1. Short stroking doesn’t just sound bad it doesn’t work well either.

    2. The shell keeper finger thingys need to be properly adjusted for case alignment.

    3. Safety prime is going to like to have the moon and the stars aligned but should go with out a hitch.

    4. The safety chain and disconnector don’t reset very well and probably won’t be used past this first real session.

    5. This thing can mash the $@&? Out of yer didgets

    6. I’ll be happy when the case feeder comes in, even more so when Lee makes a universal bullet feeder.

    7. To dang sleepy to think of anything else more pictures and narration to come.


    Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
    Using Tapatalk

  2. #2
    Boolit Buddy

    Join Date
    Oct 2005
    Posts
    174
    Thanks for the pics and report. My press arrived yesterday & I hope to have it up and running this weekend.

  3. #3
    Boolit Buddy TaylorS's Avatar
    Join Date
    May 2014
    Posts
    320
    I am gonna build some steel plates to stand the press off the bench and avoid some of the issues I had mounting the single stage


    Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
    Using Tapatalk

  4. #4
    Boolit Man
    Join Date
    Jan 2018
    Posts
    94
    I really like the lock ring eliminators. I just don't like the expense. I wonder if you maybe got one with some monkeyed up threads.

    And I'm in the opposite camp with the retaining button on the SS presses, too. I wish they just put a set of timing marks on there and skipped the button. Its the weak point in the system, IMO.

  5. #5
    Boolit Buddy TaylorS's Avatar
    Join Date
    May 2014
    Posts
    320
    I just like the button cause I don’t pull the bushings out to change dies and don’t really want to buy more bushings to make things easier


    Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
    Using Tapatalk

  6. #6
    Banned



    Join Date
    Jan 2011
    Location
    Color Me Gone
    Posts
    8,401
    I like the split ring bushings
    At $12 for a two pack, that seems more than fair considering what you are getting
    The point is not to remove the die, you remove the bushing and generally end adjustment.

    Click image for larger version. 

Name:	LREliminator-600x600.jpg 
Views:	27 
Size:	64.5 KB 
ID:	218763

  7. #7
    Boolit Man
    Join Date
    Jan 2018
    Posts
    94
    jmort, I picked up a dozen on sale for $10/pr. You're right....they're not unreasonably priced, they just add quite a bit to a set of dies and I felt guilty buying them already having a million standard bushings laying around.

    I actually wondered why Lee includes one lock ring eliminator with this press. I suspect it's so people can see how much nicer it is and buy more.

    I'm a big fan of the breech lock system...the only problem I have had is with the standard style bushings. For some reason I have had a couple dies get stuck in them, and not able to get them off without resorting to pump pliers on the threads. I don't know what combination of aluminum/o-ring/steel is making that such a bear at times, but the integrated lock ring sure makes this a better system.

  8. #8
    Boolit Buddy tranders's Avatar
    Join Date
    Apr 2012
    Location
    Indiana
    Posts
    229
    The tool head looks very tight. Would there be enough room for Hornady or Forster lock rings?

  9. #9
    Boolit Man
    Join Date
    Jan 2018
    Posts
    94
    Quote Originally Posted by TaylorS View Post
    I just like the button cause I don’t pull the bushings out to change dies and don’t really want to buy more bushings to make things easier


    Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
    Just out of curiosity, do you have in mind how many calibers you plan to reload for? I wonder if it would be worth permanently affixing the bushings into the toolhead. Say, JB weld, red lock tight, or a set screw. I've heard of folks doing that with other breech lock presses. As much as I am a fan of the system, I don't see its value on a press like this and would have preferred to see a removable toolhead. I love the $10 turrets for the LCT press.
    Last edited by Boogedy_Man; 04-20-2018 at 11:45 AM.

  10. #10
    Boolit Buddy TaylorS's Avatar
    Join Date
    May 2014
    Posts
    320
    There’s 6 or 7 calibers I can think of off the top of my head and locktite sounds like a good fix for it I don’t mind adjusting the dies when I change calibers been doing it with the single stage long enough I don’t need to change yet. I might end up buying the extra bushings just to not have to fight it if my locktite didn’t hold


    Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
    Using Tapatalk

  11. #11
    Boolit Man
    Join Date
    Jan 2018
    Posts
    94
    I imagine red would work quite well.
    Last edited by Boogedy_Man; 04-20-2018 at 02:44 PM.

  12. #12
    Boolit Buddy TaylorS's Avatar
    Join Date
    May 2014
    Posts
    320

    Breech lock pro first impressions and on going thoughts

    Got press mounted will take a pic when I get back out there but setting these dies holy cow. It seems really picky to have everything set just so so that each function is perfect. Then again I’ve never used a auto drum or disk to meter powder so just having to get that right the rest should set up easily.


    Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
    Last edited by TaylorS; 04-21-2018 at 10:30 PM. Reason: Language violation
    Using Tapatalk

  13. #13
    Boolit Master 1bluehorse's Avatar
    Join Date
    Oct 2009
    Location
    Washington
    Posts
    1,020
    Quote Originally Posted by Boogedy_Man View Post
    d. I actually wondered why Lee includes one lock ring eliminator with this press. I suspect it's so people can see how much nicer it is and buy more.



    It was my impression from watching a couple videos from Lee that the lock ring eliminator is what holds the index rod in place....they had to remove it to remove the index rod, hence my impression.....

  14. #14
    Boolit Master


    Bookworm's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jan 2016
    Location
    Central Oklahoma, on a dirt road.
    Posts
    1,186
    The Lee Autodrum can be a test of patience the first few times you set it up, but once you figure it out it's the bee's knees.
    I love mine, on an LCT.

  15. #15
    Boolit Buddy TaylorS's Avatar
    Join Date
    May 2014
    Posts
    320
    So first run wasn’t bad almost double charged one never could get the disconnector to work twice in a row so I disabled it. It really flings the finished rounds out I’ll have to build a lil bit more of a backstop for em ran out of lead for the 9mm so now taking donations if anyone’s interested. Here’s the pic after I reset it up for 223

    Since I don’t have the rifle charging die I guess I’ll head back to the other press and tweak some 308s see what we can get out of my rifle


    Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
    Using Tapatalk

  16. #16
    Boolit Buddy TaylorS's Avatar
    Join Date
    May 2014
    Posts
    320
    Something else just hit me like a fat kid on a bobsled. I can adapt my Lyman 55 to work with the press for rifle rounds using the lock ring eliminator!

    It’ll be awkward but it will be doable until I can get the rifle die in


    Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
    Using Tapatalk

  17. #17
    Boolit Grand Master jmorris's Avatar
    Join Date
    Aug 2007
    Posts
    5,269
    which btw has a button to index the bushings in place
    Maybe they wanted it to be like the Hornady LNL where the bushings self detach.?

    Don’t get me wrong, I like quick change but there needs to be positive retention once I put it there.

  18. #18
    Boolit Man
    Join Date
    Jan 2018
    Posts
    94
    Quote Originally Posted by 1bluehorse View Post
    It was my impression from watching a couple videos from Lee that the lock ring eliminator is what holds the index rod in place....they had to remove it to remove the index rod, hence my impression.....
    Ahh...thanks. Interesting arrangement.

  19. #19
    Boolit Buddy TaylorS's Avatar
    Join Date
    May 2014
    Posts
    320
    Never mind previous thought was junk first case into the measure


    Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
    Using Tapatalk

  20. #20
    Boolit Buddy TaylorS's Avatar
    Join Date
    May 2014
    Posts
    320
    Well I decided not to give up I had to run it in there so it caught the side of it had 3 more get crimped in the charging station and I’m not bright enough to keep up with the extra step of running the measure so I’m running it like a upside down turret press

    That went well towards the end I started adding cases and steps again I think I have my method now I’ll just have to practice and not get in a hurry. With the 223 I did have to slow way down so I wouldn’t bind any cases that may ease up with a charging die.


    Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
    Using Tapatalk

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •  
Abbreviations used in Reloading

BP Bronze Point IMR Improved Military Rifle PTD Pointed
BR Bench Rest M Magnum RN Round Nose
BT Boat Tail PL Power-Lokt SP Soft Point
C Compressed Charge PR Primer SPCL Soft Point "Core-Lokt"
HP Hollow Point PSPCL Pointed Soft Point "Core Lokt" C.O.L. Cartridge Overall Length
PSP Pointed Soft Point Spz Spitzer Point SBT Spitzer Boat Tail
LRN Lead Round Nose LWC Lead Wad Cutter LSWC Lead Semi Wad Cutter
GC Gas Check